Nothing Ever Really Changes
by L.S.H
Summary: The Social Network. Set five years after the movie. Mark never liked the snow, in fact he hated it. Mark finds himself in a park in New Jersey and meets an old friend along the way. Rated T for language and suggestive themes - if you squint! Mark/Eduardo


Disclaimer: This is fiction, it is based on events in TSN movie, and all rights belong to David Fincher and the rest of his team, along with Columbia Pictures.

AN - Set 5 years after the movie, Eduardo and Mark haven't seen each other since.

_Nothing Ever Really Changes. _

Mark never liked the snow, in fact he hated it. It reminded him too much of his Harvard years and that, in its self was bad. But being the rich and active billionaire he was, he decided to sit out in the cold, on a park bench wearing nothing but his PJs, dressing gown and flip-flops. This whole image of course was bringing up too many memories. Well, more reminders than memories, as Mark never let it get that far.

Yes, Mark was very different from that idiotic sophomore. Wait – What? _Idiotic? _ He had been a lot of things but idiotic? Naïve maybe but not Idiotic, he invented Facebook after all, him and…..

He hated reminders and he wouldn't be having these reminders if it weren't for the fact he was sitting in the cold wearing his PJs and flip-flops with the snow. So he came back to his original thought; he hated snow.

The feeling of wet and cold yuck on his bare foot immediately caught his attention. He cursed just as a worn out single mother and three children passed. She eyed him carefully, pulling her children away. If Mark were drunk he would have promptly given her the finger. Who the hell was she to judge him. He was a fricking billionaire and here she was thinking he was some crazy homeless guy!

He settled down again. He had decided to leave Palo Alto for the week and take a much-needed break to New York. But to be honest he wasn't really taking a break. He was still checking his business regularly and phoning the office to shout orders at his colleges. Some how between checking the stocks in France and starting to sober up from the packs of beer he was ploughing his way through he found himself in a random park in New Jersey waiting from the sun to rise. How romantic!

Mark knew his life was empty. All he had was his fortune and his Facebook – and that wasn't even fully his. Mark had no personal life having alienated his family and remaining "friends." He only had distractions. His life was pretty pathetic.

Mark was so lost in thought that he didn't notice that someone had sat down at the far end of the bench.

"New Jersey certainly isn't how they painted in the movies." Said the stranger. Mark instantly felt uncomfortable; he was never good at this, talking. "Yeah" was his genius response.

"I had this friend at college, he use to always watch the sun rise when he had a problem told me – 'it help him figure it all out'." Mark swallowed, his breath hitched slightly, his whole body going stiff. "Sounds kind of dumb." He replied shakily.

The stranger chuckled. "I guess but who am I to judge genius."

"On second thought your friend sounds very smart." Mark's voice became less shaky. The Stranger chuckled again and the two faced each other.

Eduardo's brown eyes stared intently into his own, and Mark suddenly felt stripped of all his defences. He felt vulnerable.

"Hello Mark."

Eduardo Saverin had aged very well. He didn't look very different. He was wearing similar cloths to the one he wore when he had found out about Mark's betrayal. They reminded him of that day of smashed laptops and hurtful rages. And so many things that had gone unsaid between them through out the years. Eduardo looked tired. Maybe that was because of a long flight or a night time business meeting. Mark hoped that it was because of him. Mark has had nothing to do with Eduardo's life for _five years_, he just wanted to still have some sort of claim to him. To be fair Eduardo looked a hell of a lot better then him. But to a normal man he probably looked pretty crappy. But the question that was circling his mind the most is Eduardo happy?

"How's your Germany premier danseur?" The jibe rolls off his tongue easily like the old days.

But it is not the old days because if it were Eduardo would have blushed or cleared his throat uncomfortably. But no, he acts relaxed but cocky yet humble. "Why don't you ask him, you're more likely to see him than I am."

"I don't go to the ballet often." Came Mark's witty reply. "So he hates you that much?"

Eduardo grimaced slightly. "Not one of my finest break-ups I must say."

"It has to be better than Christy?"

Eduardo grimace deepened, He tore his graze from Mark and looked off into the distance. "I don't know this was pretty bad." His eyes closed and Mark could see how much more tired he looked. It made him suddenly feel guilty, that he could be the cause of this, but it also made him relived that he wasn't the only one being affected, all though he would never admit this to Eduardo.

"So." Eduardo said conversationally "What brings the great Mark Zuckerberg to New Jersey?" When Eduardo turned to face he had on that charming smile that made Mark _slightly_ breathless.

"A break" Mark said once he remembered how to breathe again.

They were both quiet for a few minutes, it wasn't awkward but it wasn't comfortable either. Eduardo's face hardened.

"What the hell are you doing Mark?"

Mark flinched. He hated that question more than he hated snow.

"Watching the sun-"

"That's not what I meant Mark." He really hated it when Eduardo said his name like that.

"I know." He sighed deeply. "Tr…Trying to figure it all out."

Eduardo's face softened. "Okay." He said so softly Mark didn't catch it.

They didn't say much more. Mark talked about getting a new tennis racket. Eduardo talked about his exactions for the new batman movie. It was like they were in college again. But they weren't. They were two grown men in a cold park in New Jersey. And they both had crap lives to get back to.

Eduardo stood up. He probably had a flight to catch or something. Mark didn't expect him to tell him where he was going. They weren't like that anymore. Mark still had so many questions – Are you still Mad? Will I see you again? Are you happy? Both so many things went unsaid between them in the past so why should now be any different.

Eduardo opened his mouth; he hesitated for the first time today. He settled on "Goodbye. Mark."

His voice was thick with meaning but Mark pretended not to notice, like he had so many times in the past.

"See you around Wardo."

Eduardo broke into his first true smile like the one he had five years ago at the hacking college party for Facebook. Maybe it was because that was the first time Mark had said his nickname.

And as Eduardo started walking off into the distance, Mark new he had to say just one more thing because, he doesn't know if he'll see him again.

"You know, I was really surprised when you came out, I had no clue."

Eduardo turned to face him but kept walking backwards, a large smile on his face. "Mark. For a genius, you can be really naïve!"

Long after he was gone, Mark still had a big smile on his face. And in between inwardly cursing passers-by, reminders and hating snow, Mark came to realize something. Nothing ever really changes.

Nothing ever really changes at all.

AN: Reviews would be nice


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